MANIAPOTO RUGBY UNION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 181, 12 August 1909, Page 5

MANIAPOTO RUGBY UNION.

To the Editor.

Sir, —At a meeting of the Maniapoto Rugby Union held fast Saturday to consider the protest of the Mokauiti football club against the Nehenehenui Club, it was decided to ptay the roateb over again, and the gate moaey is to go to the Maniapoto Rugby Union. The representative of your paper was absent on Saturday night, otherwise I need not have written this tetter. At a meeting held a fortnight previously it was decided to inform both clubs to have their evidence ready by August 7th. Welt. Sir, I had my witnesses in attendance, and the Mokauiti sent their evidence in the form of a tetter. The referee also sent a tetter. Strange to say those tetters were read and commented upon, hot 1 was not athwed to call my witne*ses. Now, Sir, I contend that it is against the interest of true sport. I was the only member of the Union that saw the match, yet. my evidence was of no avail; in when I rose to speak on the question I was ordered to sit down. Sir, I ask you and the public, is that fair ptay7 As regards the match attuded to, the facts are these: The Nehenehenui team went to the Aria on the Friday and on the Saturday went en the fie Ed at 1.30 p.m., and waited for the referee until 3 o'clock, when Mr Reardon brought Mr I'. Gordon to Htra Foutawera and me and asked if wc would accept Mr Gordon as referee. We both agreed to Mr Gordon acting as referee, and he said to us: "This match m -ans a tot to your club, and I would rather not officiate." However, i both sides agreed to Mr Gordon, and j then it was found that there was no j whistle. Mr Reardon sent George Smilh for a whistle, but Smith came! back with out one. so both sides agreed j that Mr Gordon should whistle with ( his Angers. Mr Reardon. and also | the captain of the Mokauiti club said j to Hira and me. that whatever deci- ; sion the referee gave shout I be final, j Now, Sir. what do we find? That Mr Reardon found fault with the referee's decision over the second try gained by the Nehenehenuis, and as s-on as the match was over he got on his horse, and rode to the post office to wire a protest. He did not have the courtesy to inform the referee that he was going to todge a protest; also, he did not inform me as representative of the Nehenehenui team until about an hour afterwards; so you see. Sir. that Mr Reardon goes back on his own proposition that the Referee's decision shall be final. Again, Sir, at Saturday's meeting the Delegate for Mokauiti that according to the rules of the A.R.U. the referee must have a whistle or the match j can be voided, and on these grounds j the M.R.U. declares the Aria fixture no match. 1 also find that the said j rules state that the protest roust be lodged within 48 hours, accompanied | by a fee of 10s 6d. Sir, that fee was | not sent within the time stated, but j the delegate for Mokauiti totd me that j he guaranteed the fee on the Tuesday, i That was too tate, as the Mokauiti j officials had ample time on the Monday | to wire the fee in. On that atone the j protest should have been thrown out. . Again, the Secretary of the M.R.U. . said he had received a cheque for the j fee. I asked to sec the cheque, and j was told that 1 should take the secret- , ary's word. Sir, that would not do ; in a court of law; seeing is betieving. 1 and until I see the said cheque i shaft ! believe it to be a myth. Sir. I main- : tain that the Nehenehenui Club bas j won the banner and cup fairly and | squarely, and in having to ptay the match over again, are being harshly treated. However, Ido not despair of their beating Mokauiti again. Apotogtetog for taking up so much of your valuable space.—l am, etc.. SAM. MOORE, Delegate for the Nehenehenui F.C.